AmericanRhetoric.

com
JeremyRifkin
TheBioTechCentury

DeliveredMay1998

AUTHENTICITYCERTIFIED:Textversionbelowtranscribeddirectlyfromaudio

Goodafternooneveryone. Weareinthemidstofafundamentaltransformation,oneofthegreatchangesinhistory. WeremovingoutoftheindustrialrevolutionandintotheBioTechCentury. Forthelast40years,twotechnologyrevolutionshavebeenoperatingessentiallyonparallel tracks:computersandgenesplicingtheinformationsciences,thelifesciences.Inthelast fewyears,theyvebeguntofusetogethertocreateapowerfulnewtechnologicaland commercialrevolutionthatsgoingtoremakeourentirecivilization. Thecomputerismerelyapreludetotheneweconomicera,andtheneweconomicerais basedongeneticcommerce.Thecomputeristhelanguage,theorganizingtooltodecipher, download,organizeandmanipulategenes.AndgenesaretherawresourceoftheBiotech Century,justasmetals,minerals,andfossilfuelsweretherawresourceoftheindustrial centuryjustpassingfromview. Letmetryandplacethistremendouschangeinananthropologicalcontext.Thisshiftinthe next50yearswillbeasfundamentalastheshiftfromMedievalagriculturetotheindustrial wayoflife.Itsgoingtoforceallofustorethinkthesocialcontract. Forthousandsofyearswevebeenburning,forging,soldering,melting,andheatinginert materialfromtheearthscrust.Wevebeenusingpyrotechnologies,firetechnologiesand weverefashionedtheearthusingfire.Wevecreatedsteel,glass,cinnabar,cement, syntheticsandplastic.Theculminationofthefiretechnologyeraistheindustrialage,the burningoffossilfuelsandnuclearpower.

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Inthe1970stwobiologistsdidsomethingintheworldofbiologythatsomeareequatingwith thefiretechnologyrevolutioninitsimpactandimport.BoyerandCombs,Universityof CaliforniaandStanford,theytookslicesofgeneticmaterialfromtwounrelatedspeciesand stitchedthemtogethertheyrecombinedthem,creatingthefirstnew,novellifeformeverat thehandsofhumanbeings. Nowinsteadofburning,soldering,forging,andmeltinginertmaterial,wecannowstitch,edit, sequence,andrecombinelivingmaterialacrosstheexpanseofthebiologicalkingdom. Ivehadpeoplesaytomeinthepast,"LookJeremy,isntgeneticengineeringjustan extensionofthekindoftinkeringwevebeendoingwithnaturesincethedawnoftheNeolithic revolution10,000yearsago?Wevebeenbreedinganddomesticatinganimalsandplantsfora longtime."Myanswerquitesimplyisno.Thisisaqualitativelydifferentrevolution.Imgoing togiveyouafewofexperimentsthatcouldneverhavebeendonebyLutherBurbankorany otherclassicalbreederinhistory. YearsagoattheUniversityofPennsylvania,scientiststookahumangrowthhormonegene,a humangene.Theymicroinjectedthatgeneintomiceembryo.Themicewerebornwitha humangenereplicatingineverycelloftheirbody.Themicegrewtwiceasfastandtwiceas bigasanymiceinhistory.Andtheypassedthathumangrowthhormonegeneintoevery generationoftheiroffspring.Wenowhavemicewithhumangeneticmaterialintheir blueprint.Youcannotdothatinclassicalbreeding.Weveneverseenthatinclassical evolution. Experimenttwo,abitmorewhimsical.Scientiststookthegenethatemitslightinafirefly theymicroinjectedthegeneintotobaccoplants,thegeneticcode.Thoseplantslightup24 hoursaday.Dontaskmewhytheydidthatexperiment. Thethirdexperimentisalittlebitmorebizarre.Sheepandgoats,twocompletelyunrelated speciesgeneticallytheycannotmate.Inthelaboratory,scientiststooktheembryoniccells fromeachoftheseanimals,fusedthemtogether,andgavebirthtoanewspeciesonearth calleda"geep,"halfsheep,halfgoattheheadofagoat,thebodyofasheepachimera,a newcompositecreature. AndfinallyyoureallfamiliarwithDr.Wilmutsclonedsheep.Weactuallymissedthereal storybehindthis.Weresointerestedintalkingaboutwhenthiswillhappenwithhumans. (And,bytheway,ifwehaventalreadydoneitsomewhere,thecloningofahumanbeingis likelyanytime.Itsnolongeratheoreticalissueitsjustaquestionofwhosgoingtodoit.) TherealstorybehindthesheepisthatDr.Wilmutcreatedtheprototypeforbioindustrial design.HestheHenryFordoftheBiotechCentury.Itisnowpossibletoreplicateincountless numbersexactcopiesofanoriginallivingcreaturewiththesamekindofqualitycontrolsand engineeringstandardswedidusingmassproductionandassemblylinefactoryworkwithinert materials. Thatswhatssoimportantaboutthisanimal.Wemovedfromtheindustrialageto thebioindustrialage.

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Geneticengineeringiscalled"geneticengineering"foranimportantreason.Andit'sthat secondword,"engineering,"thatweallneedtoheed.Itstakingengineeringprinciplesand applyingthemtothegeneticblueprintsoflife.Whatareengineeringprinciples?Quality control,predictableoutcomes,quantifiablestandardsofmeasurements,efficiency,andutility. Nowweretalkingaboutactuallyapplyingthoseengineeringstandardstotheblueprintoflife. Wereonthecuspofatechnologyrevolutionunprecedentedinhistory.Scientistsoflife sciencecompaniescannowbecomethearchitectsofourownevolutionandbeginto reengineerasecondgenesiscreatingnewkindsofcreaturesthathaveneverexistedand reformulatingthegeneticprintsofthosealreadyhere. Thisisthemostradical,daringexperimentinourhistory.Therearetremendouspotential benefitstothisrevolution.Wehaveinfrontofusthepromisedcornucopia.Newfoodsthat couldfeedahungryworld.Newsourcesofenergywhentheoilspigotrunsdry,energyfrom livingmicroorganisms.Wecouldcreatenewfabricsandmaterialsusinggeneticengineering, newpharmaceuticals.Wecouldfindnewwaystoeliminatethecripplingdiseasesthathave hauntedourspecies. Butwithallofthesegreatbenefitsinstoreforus,anaggingquestionremains:Atwhatcost? Willtheartificialcreationofcloned,chimeric,andtransgenicanimalsmeantheendofnature andthesubstitutionofabioindustrialworldfromthelaboratory?Willthemassreleaseof thousandsandthousandsofgeneticallyengineeredlifeformsintoourbiospherecausegenetic pollutionandirreversibledamagetoourplanet? Whataretheconsequencestotheglobaleconomyofreducingtheworldsgenepoolto intellectualpropertysothatalloflifeisthepatentedinventionoflifesciencecompanies? Whatwillitmeantoliveinaworldwhereourchildrenarecustomizedatconception, engineeredtoourstandards,andastheygrowup,increasinglydiscriminatedagainstbased ontheirgeneticmakeup?Whataretherisksinattemptingtocreateaperfecthumanbeing? Letstakealookatsomeoftheseissuesinmoredetail.Youmaybesurprisedtoknowthe following:Inthenextseventotenyears,virtuallyall100,000orsogenesthatmakeupthe blueprintforourspecieswillbeidentifiedandtargetedandisolated.Andvirtuallyeverysingle oneofthose100,000genesthatmakeupthehumanracewillbeclaimedastheintellectual propertyofalifesciencecompany.Theyreclaimingpatentsonthousandsandthousandsof humangenestoday. Imaginethepowerhere,unprecedentedincommercialhistory.Corporationsthatareableto controlandowntheblueprintsforourhumanracedictatingthetermsuponwhichourfuture evolutiondependsandmakingthatarbitrationinthemarketplace. Dr.Wilmut,whoclonedthesheephiscompany,TTL,hassubmittedanapplicationtotheUS PatentOfficeforapatenttocover,notonlytheprocessforcloningtheanimals,butevery animalthatsclonedwillbeconsideredhispatentedinvention.Andoneotherthing,hehas includedinhispatenthumanembryos,clonedhumanembryos,aspatentedinvention.

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Ihopeyouallheardthis.Regardlessofwhereyoustandonrighttolife/prochoice,imagine theprofoundethicalissueshereandperhapsConstitutionalissueswhenthePatentOffice,and theyprobablywillgivehimhispatent:Willwegivehimapatentsothatallclonedhuman embryoswillbeconsideredhispatentedproduct? Wethoughtwedresolvedthisissuein1865whenwedecidedwiththe...whenwedecided withtheEmancipationProclamationyoucannotclaimanotherhumanbeingasyour commercialproperty.Butnowthissameissueiscominginthebackdoorintheformof patentsonlife. ThePatentOfficesayslook,youcannotclaimahumanbeingasyourcommercialproperty, th becausethe13 AmendmenttotheConstitutionforbidsslavery,butyoucanpatentallthe individualhumangenes,thehumanchromosomes,thehumancellline,thehumanorgan,the th humantissue,thehumanembryoandthefetus,noneofthosearecoveredbythe13 AmendmenttotheConstitution. Andnowcompaniesarescoutingtheplanetinsearchofraregenesinmicroorganisms,plants, animals,andindigenoushumanpopulations,becausegenesaretherawresourceforthenext century.Whoevercontrolsthegenes,controlsgeneticcommerce.Whentheylocatethese genestheypatentthem.Themergersandacquisitionsandconsolidationsgoingoninthe giantlifescienceindustriesdwarfthemergersgoingontelecommunications,entertainment, andsoftwareindustries.Doesthatsurpriseyou? It'sjustwehearverylittleaboutitandhereswhy.Ourfuturistshavedoneusadisservice. Forfifteenyearsourfuturistshavewrittenbookspreparingusfortheinformationage,so thatswherewerefocusingourdebates.Callingthenextcenturytheinformationageislike callingthemodernagetheprintpressage.Neitherareresourcesbothareformsof communication.Theprintpresswasessentialasanewformofcommunicationtoorganizea societybasedonsteampowerandcoal.Thecomputerisnotaresourceeitheritsaformof communicationtoorganizeaneweconomybasedontherawresourceofgenes. SowhatImsuggestinghereisthatwerewoefullybehind,weinthepublic,wherethiswhole revolutionsmoving.Wehavenotbeenpreparedbyourmedia,byouracademicinstitutions, andbyourpoliticians. Yetthistechnologyrevolutionwillmoreintimatelyaffectourlivesthananyinthehistoryof humanity.Howwedate,whowemarry,howwehaveourchildren,thefoodsweeat,thekind ofworkwedo,evenourperceptionoflifewillbedramaticallyaffectedbythisrevolution.Lets lookatafewoftheissues. Youregoingtohearanewterm,geneticpollution.Inthenexttwentyyears,theLifeScience companiesaregoingtobeintroducingthousandsandthousandsofgeneticallyengineered, laboratoryconceivedorganismsintoourbiosphere,masspropagatedoveralltheecosystems intheworld.Werealreadyintroducingthousandsnow.Microorganismstoeatuptoxic wastes,newgeneticallyengineeredplantsinourfields,millionsofacresthisyeararegrown withthefirstgeneticallyengineeredplants,allinthelastyear.

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Nowwhenyouintroduceageneticallyengineeredorganismintotheenvironmentitsnotlike introducingachemicalproduct.Theseproductsarealive.Theyremoreunpredictable.They reproduce.Chemicalandnuclearproducts,foralltheirproblems,donotreproduce.And geneticallyengineeredorganismsmigratetheyproliferate.Howdoyourecalltothe laboratoryageneticallyengineeredmicroorganism,bacteria,virus,orplantifitrunsamuck andcausesdamage?Howdoyougetitback?Imaginethescalehere,thousandsand thousandsofintroductionsallovertheworldofgeneticallyengineeredlifeformsreseedingthe earthwithasecondgenesis,allinthenexttwentyyears. Theecologists,environmentalscientistsuseananalogy:Introducingthesenewlifeformsis likeintroducinganexoticspeciesfromanativehabitattoanewhabitat.Wevebroughtalot ofexoticorganismsovertoNorthAmerica.Somehavefitinandsomehavebecomepests. Youreallfamiliarwithkudzuvine,DutchElmDisease,Gypsymoth,Starlings,Mediterranean fruitflies.ThesewerenotnativetoNorthAmerica.Webroughtthemheretheyranamuck. Everytimeweintroduceageneticallyengineeredorganismintothebiosphere,itstantamount toplayingecologicalroulette,becausetheresnohistorywiththisspeciesinthese environments.Ifjustasmallpercentageoftheseintroductionsrunamuck,thegenetic pollutiontothenextcenturycouldrivalorexceedthekindofpollutionwehavefacedwith petrochemicalandnuclearproductsinthecenturyjustpassing. Andyouinthebusinesscommunityandtaxpayersshouldknowhere,there'snoinsurance againstliability.Theinsuranceindustryhassaidwewontinsureanyofthesereleasesof geneticorganismsintotheenvironmentagainstcatastrophicdamage,becausetheresnoway toknowwhatsgoingtohappen,sowecantassignrisk.Theresnosciencetojudgewhats goingtohappen.Soheresanentirenewerainhistory,geneticcommerce,comingintoour societythefloodgatesopening,thebiospherebeingreseeded,noinsurance.Whosgoing tobeheldliablewhenthefirstgeneticallyengineeredorganismrunsamuck?Taxpayers? Consumers?Unansweredquestions.WhenIraisetheseissues,Iheredeafeningsilencefrom thelifescienceindustry. Geneticpollutionisjustoneissue.Wealsohavetointroducethesocialimplications.Theresa wordherethatnooneintheindustrywantstotalkaboutitscalled"eugenics."Youolder peopleherewillbeveryfamiliarwiththisterm.Eugenicsisthephilosophyofusinggenetic manipulationtoimproveanorganismortocreateaperfectspecies. Whenwethinkofeugenics,wenormallythinkoftheHolocaust,NaziGermanyHitlers dreamtocreatetheAryanperfecthumanrace.Although,aswassuggestedbythe introductioninthequotefromthe1920s,weshouldunderstandthatwesupportedamassive eugenicsmovementinthiscountryfrom1900to1930.Twooutofthreecollegestaught eugenics,howtocreatetheperfectrace.70,000Americansweresterilizedbystatelaw, becausetheywereconsideredinferiorbiologically.Andweevenpassedanimmigrationpolicy inthe1920s,shameful,shamefulpolicy,inwhichwekeptoutofthiscountrythosewe consideredofpoorgeneticstock,badblood.Thatimmigrationpolicylastedforahalfa century.

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Eugenicsisinseparablefromthenewgenetictechnology,becausethewholepointofgenetic engineeringistoimproveanorganism,toimproveaspecies.Well,whodecideswhatisa goodgeneandwhatisabadgene? Rightnowthousandsoflaboratories,corporate,government,academic,aroundtheworldare changingaroundthegeneticcodeoflifefromthelowliestmicroorganismstohumanbeings. Whodecideswhatisagoodandbadgene? Howmanyherewouldentrustthefederalgovernmenttodecidewhichgenesshouldbe engineeredinandoutofevolutionoverthenextbiotechcentury?Letitberecordedforthose listeninginonradio:silence.Howmanyofyouwouldentrustthescientificcommunityto decidewhatisagoodandbadgene?HowabouttheLifeSciencecorporations?Howabout consumersinthemarketplace? Allofuswouldbeverydistrustfulofgivingthisultimatepowerandauthorityoverthe blueprintsoflifetoanyinstitution.However,ifIaskedyouanotherquestion,"Howmanyof youwouldliketohavetheoptionofsomeofthesenewopportunitiesinthebiological marketplace?"Youmightlikelysay"yes."Example,inthenextseventotenyears,wewillbe abletoidentifythousandsandthousandsofgenetictraits.Youcancomeintoadoctorsoffice nowandbescreenedforhundredsofgenesandgeneticpredispositions.Butinfivetoten yearsfromnow,youcangointothatdoctorsofficeandbescreenedwithaDNAchipfor thousandsofgenes.Thisisgoingtocreateafundamentalbreakintheparentchildbondin history. Ifyoureaprospectiveparent,ifyoureateenagerlisteninginrightnowandyouregoingto haveachildfiveortenyearsfromnow,youandyourspousewillbeabletotakeaDNAchip geneticscreentestandknowexactlywhatyouregoingtopassontoyourchildbefore conception.Youwillactuallyhaveacrystalballwhichwillallowyoutolookintothegenetic futureofachildnotyetconceived. Well,whatdoyoudo?Ifyouknowyouregoingtopassonthegeneforchildhoodleukemia, wouldntyouwanttoprogramthatoutoftheeggandspermbeforeconceptionasaparent? Whatifyouknewyouweregoingtopassoncysticfibrosis?Well,wheredowestophere? WhatifyouknewyouwouldpassonAlzheimersataround50?Oryouweregoingtopasson apredispositionformanicdepression,orforalcoholism.Whatifyouweregoingtopasson poorvisionorcolorblindness,ordyslexia,ortheobesitygene,orshortstature?Whatparent wouldntwantthebest,healthiestchildthatmoneycouldafford?Doyouknowanyparent thatwouldsaynotomakingthesechangesinthespermandeggifitcouldimprovethe prospectofa[sic]childrennotyethere? Ontheotherhand,oncewebegintoprogramouroffspring,itbecomestheultimateshopping experience.Theybecomethearchitecturaldesignthatwevepreprogrammedforthem.And oncewebegintoseethespermandtheeggasriddledwitherrors,ontheothersideofthat coinissomeidealnormoftheperfectbaby.Whatisthatperfectbaby?Whatshoulditlook like?Whodecides?Andwhatifyourethebeneficiary?

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Whatifyourethechildwhoisprogrammedtothosegenesandconstrainedbythegenetic blueprintyourparentssetoutforyou?Theintergenerationalconflictmaybequiteinteresting. Howlikelywillitbethatwellbetolerantofthosewhoarenotgeneticallyengineered,who mayhavedisabilities,whomayhavecodedefects?Arewelikelytobemoreorlesstolerantof thoseamonguswhodontconformtotheengineeringnormsthatwevesetup? SowhatImsuggestingtoyouisthattheneweugenicsisnotsocialeugenics.Wedonthave anevilcabalofpoliticalideologuestryingtoforceusintobravenewworlds.Theneweugenics isbanalitsmarketdriven.Itsbasedonconsumerdesires.Wevemettheenemyanditis us.Whatparentwouldntwantthebestfortheirchild? Sotheseareveryheavyissues.Inthebook,theBioTechCentury,Itryandmakeveryclear thattherearetremendousbenefitsandtremendousperilsinvolvedinthistechnology revolution.Ialsotryandmakeitclear,justbecauseitcanbedone,doesntnecessarilymean itshouldbedone.Andonecanbeinfavorthisscience,asIam,andstillbelievethereare differentwaystoharnessittechnologicallythatmaydolessharmtofuturegenerations. Letmedealwithonemoresocialissue,whichalreadymayhaveaffectedsomebodyinthis room.Youregoingtohearanotherterminthenextfewyears:"geneticdiscrimination."Its alreadyhere.IntheBioTechCentury,inthebook,IhaveasurveybyHarvardUniversity. Theyvealreadyseenwidespreadgeneticdiscriminationbyemployers,insurancecompanies, adoptionagencies,andschools.Employersscreenyouwithbloodtestsfortheirhealth insuranceplan.Doyouknoweverythingtheyrescreeningfor?Employersmaywanttoscreen youtoseeifyouhaveageneticpredispositionforcancer.Theymaynotwanttohireyouif yougetcancerontheirwatch,itsgoingtobemorehealthcostsfortheircompany.A companymightwanttoknowifyouhaveageneticpredispositionfordiabetes.Theymaynot wanttoputyouonthecorporatefasttrackandspendalotofmoneyonyouifyouwillbe disabledandcantworktofullcapacity. Wellletsgetthisonestepremoved.Whatifyouwerehiringforanairtrafficcontroller?Do youwanttoknowifheorshehasthegeneticpredispositionformanicdepressionor alcoholism? Hereswherethediscriminationcomesin.Evenifyouhavethesepredispositions,youmaynot manifestthedisease,andevenifyoumanifestit,itmaybecontrollable.Andtheremaybe otherswhobecomemanicdepressed,oralcoholic,orgetcancerbecauseofenvironmental triggers.Thegeneisnotallpowerful.Thegeneinteractswiththeenvironment.The predispositionscanbetriggered.Forexample,weknowdiseasesofaffluence,likecancer, heartattacks,diabetes,strokes.Weallhavedifferentgeneticpredispositionsforthese diseases,butwealsoknowthatifyouareasmoker,andadrinker,andifyoueatalotof fattymeat,andifyoudontexercise,andifyouliveinpollution,itslikelyyouregoingto comedownwiththosediseases.Sowherethediscriminationcomesiniswheninstitutions simplylookatyourgeneticsandsayAha,thispersonsaproblem.

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NowImgoingtokindofsteponsometerritoryherethatmaybealittledelicate.Letstake AttentionDeficitDisorder.Wehavebeguntogenotypeyoungpeoplealloverthecountrywith variousgeneticlinkstomoodbehavior,themostinterestingbeingAttentionDeficitDisorder. WehavemillionsofyoungstersonRitalin.Now,beclear,certainchildrenarebornwitha geneticpredispositionforAttentionDeficitDisorder,butitisalsopossiblethatthefastpaced, nanosecondculturewithallthestressandanxietythatweputthemincouldhelptrigger thosegeneticpredispositions.Butwhatsbecomefashionablenowistoforgetnurtureandjust concentrateonnatureandsayifthatchildhasanattentionspanprobleminfirstgradeand thereisageneticpredisposition,thatmusthavebeentheproblem.Andthereforewedont havetodealwiththeenvironmentorchangethevaluesoftheculture,justsimplygivethat childadrug. Youregoingtoseeanotherterminthenextfewyears:"geneticrights."Increasingly,as peoplebecomevictimsofgeneticdiscriminationandthisdiscriminationisgoingtobemore virulentthanracialdiscrimination,orreligiousdiscrimination,orevenethnicdiscrimination. Whenthisbecomesmoreapparent,peoplearegoingtodemandgeneticprivacy.YouandI aregoingtosay,"Weoughttohaveourgeneticinformation,itsvaluabletous,butno institutionshouldbeabletohavethisinformationwithoutourexpressapproval."Genetic rights,geneticrightswillloominthenextcenturyasimportantonthepoliticalagendaas humanrightsandcivilrightshaveonthecenturyjustpassing. Finally,thisnewgeneticscienceisinvaluable.Werelearningalotaboutgenes:howthey function,howtheyturnonandoff,howtheyexpressthemselves,howtheyrelatetotheir environment.Thequestionishowdoweapplythisscienceinawaythatcreatesa renaissanceandnotgreatsocialandecologicalupheaval?Wearerisktakerswearetool makersweremovingaheadintothisbiotechcentury.Howdoweproceed?Whatstheruleof thumb? Thefirstruleofthumbinmedicineisfirstdonoharm.Whenchoosingamongalternative technologiestousethisscience,alwayschoosethealternativethatsleastlikelytoforeclose opportunitiesandoptionsofthosenotyethere,notonlyourownspecies,butallthefellow travelers,theothercreatureswecoexistwithandstewardonthisplanet.Sofirstruleof thumb,donoharm. Secondruleofthumb,whenchoosingdifferenttechnologicalapproachestothenewscience, alwayspicktheapproachthatstheleastlikelytodoradicalharmandthemostconservative. Takethetechnologyoptionthatsthemostlikelytosustainratherthandrainourrelationship totherestofthebiosphere.Goodruleofthumb. Now,Imgoingtogiveyouexamplesofhowthisworksoutinpractice.Geneticallyengineered foods.ThefirstgeneticallyengineeredcropsarebeinggrowninthefieldsintheU.S.this year.Monsantohasgeneticallyengineeredsoygrowingovermillionsofacresthisyear.And CibaGiegyhasgeneticallyengineeredcorn.Itscomingintoyoursupermarket.Unfortunately itsnotlabeled,soyoudontknowwhichfoodshavethosestrangegenesinthem.

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Youseethesenewfoodsthataregeneticallyengineeredhavegenesinthefoodsthathave neverbeeneatenintheentirehumanrace.Hamstergenesmaybeinsomeofthesecrops. Someofthemhavepetuniagenes.Someofthemhavefireflygenes.TheMonsantocrop containsagenecalledBacillusthuringiensis.Itsatoxintakenfromabacterium.Andtheyuse thesevariousgenestodevelopplantsthatarepestresistant,orbioresistant,ormore nutritious.Soundsgood. Theproblemiswedontknowwhatllhappentotheenvironmentwhenweplacetheseplants outthereandmoreimportantly,whenyoueattheseproductscontaininggenesfromnonfood sources,wedontknowifyouregoingtohaveaallergenicreaction,becauseyouvenever consumedgenesfromahamsterorfromafirefly. Interestingenough,theressomuchconcerninEuropethatthesamefoodcompaniesthatare producingthefoodshereandnotlabelingthem,theyarebeginningtolabeltheminEurope, becausetheconsumerssaid,"Wewantthemlabeled." NowthereasonImentionedgeneticfoodiswecouldusethesamenewgeneticscience,all thetremendousnewinformationwerelearningaboutthegenetocreateanalternative,soft pathagriculture,organic,sustainable,andanagricultureintegratedwiththeecosystemsof theworld. Wecouldlearn,withthenewscience,thesubtlerelationshipbetweengeneticpredispositions inexistingplantsandhowtomakethemmorecompatiblewithlocalecosystems.Insteadof geneticallyengineeringtheplantandbypassingevolution,weworkwithevolutionand stewardtheenvironmentsothatyoucanbuyatyourstoreorganic,sustainable,freshfoods thatdontdoharm.Softpath. Medicine,samesituation,wecouldusethehardpathorsoftpathapproach.Wecouldwait untilyougetsickandthenusethenewgeneticengineeringtherapytopumpgenesintoyour bodytomakeyouwell.Orevenmoreradicaldeparturewecouldchangethespermandthe egg,allthegeneticinstruction,andeliminatethesediseases.Doyouwanttoeliminateall theserecessivetraitsthatcreatedisease? Welearninbiologythateveryspecieshasawiderangeofgeneticssothattheyhaveabig enoughpooltoaccommodatechangesinenvironmentandinevolution.Ifyoumonoculturean animalorplantsotheresonlyoneortwostrainsofvariety,youriskgreatdisruption.Youre allfamiliarwiththepotatofamineinIrelandonestrainofpotato,itwasnotimmunetoa particularfungusalotofpeoplestarved. Didyouknowthatthesicklecellanemiarecessivegenepreventsmalaria?We'vejustlocated cysticfibrosis,therecessivegenethatwenowbelievepreventstyphoidandcholera.Ifwe begineliminatingallthesegenesfrommedicalexamssothatthenextgenerationishealthier, isitpossible,inthelongrun,wellactuallyprogramourownextinction?

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Thereisasoftpathapproachtomedicine.Wecouldusethesamegeneticscienceandcreate asophisticated,marketdrivenpreventivehealthtokeeppeoplewellwiththissciencesothey dontgetsick.Weknow,forexample,thatseventypercentofthediseasesthatwerelikelyto getarediseasesofaffluence:theheartattacks,thestrokes,thediabetes.Wealsoknowthat ifwecanhelpamelioratetheenvironment,changeourhabits,werelesslikelytogetthese diseases. Weregoingtobeableinafewyearsfromnow,whenyoueatapieceoffood,wellbeableto actuallytracehowthegenesturnonandoffwhentheymetabolizeapieceoffood.Sowewill actuallybeabletopinpointtherelationshipbetweenagene,howtheyexpressthemselves, withthefoodweeat.Wecouldalsobeabletotestourselvesagainstvarioustypesofexercise weuseorenvironmentswerein.Thisistremendousinformation.Soinsteadofaradical approachtomedicine,actuallybeginningtoredesigntheblueprintofourspecies,wecould usethissciencenottoreengineerourselvesbuttomakeourenvironmentmoreconduciveand healthierforallofus. SoImgoingtoleaveyouwiththislastthought.Ivehadaninterestingseriesofdebateswith ascientistbythenameofLeeSilveratPrinceton.Irespecthimbutwedisagreeonsomany things.Hehassuggestedthatwhatwemaybegintoseeinthenextcenturyisthe developmentofwhathecalledthe"genetocracy"intheBiotechCentury.Thoseparentswho canaffordtoprogramsuperiorgenetictraitsintheirchildrenwilldoso.Andaftergeneration aftergeneration,itwillbethesechildrenandtheirheirsgeneticallywhorunsociety.Hecalls themthe"genrich." Theothersinsociety,the"genpoor,"theyregoingtohavetoprocreatetheoldfashioned way,becausetheywonthaveaccesstoorbeabletoaffordthesenewtechnologies.Hesaid eventuallythesetwogroups,thegenrichandthegenpoor,willbesodifferentfromeach othergeneticallythattheywontevenbeabletomateandwillcreatetwonewsubspecies. Andthegenrichwillhaveasmuchincommonwiththenaturalhumanbeingweknowtoday aswehavewithournearestrelativethechimpanzee.And,lestwetakethistoolightly, rememberweshare99%ofourgeneswiththechimpanzee.Weonlyhavea1%differential thatmakesusahumanbeing.SoLeeSilversvisionwithgenetocracyisnottoofardownthe lineofpossibility. Thelastthought.Iwrotethisbook,TheBioTechCentury,ontheeveofthisnewcentury, becauseIwantedtoencouragearobustdebate,agreatpublicdebate.Thegreatest contributionofthisnewgeneticscience,itsgoingtoforceourgenerationandourchildrens generationtoaskthebigquestionsonceagain.Whatislife?Whatdoesitmeantobea humanbeing?Islifejustgeneticcodesandblueprintsthatcanbepatented,ordoeslifehas intrinsicvalue,notjustutilityvalue?Whatsourresponsibilitytofuturegenerations?Whatare ourobligationstoourfellowcreaturesthatwecoexistwith?ShouldweplayGodinthe laboratory,orarethereotherwaystousethisgeneticsciencethataremorehumaneand civilizedandcreateopportunitiesratherthanforecloseoptionsforthosenotyethere?

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SoIamhopingthepubliccancomeupintothisdebate.Weareveryfarbehind.The developmentsgoingonIworkwithbusinessleadersandCEOsallovertheworld,andIcan tellyouthedevelopmentsgoingonintheLifeScienceindustriesaresofasttheyremoving soquicktheyresofaradvancedfromwhatthepublicunderstandsthatwehaveagreatgap here.Thepublicneedstobeinformedindiscussionsliketheonewerehavingtoday,andthen youandIneedtobeengaged. Wecannotleavethesedecisionsonlyuptothescientistsinthelaboratoryortheexecutivesin thecorporateboardroomsoftheLifeScienceindustry,becausethesetechnologiesshouldnot justbearbitratedinthemarketplace.Theyaffectallfuturegenerations.Ifthisisntthe technologyrevolutionthatwediscussedbroadlyandintimately,whichonewillweever?So myhopeisthatbeginninginthenextfewyears,wecanbegintoengagethisgreatquestion aboutthefutureofourevolution.Howdowemoveintothiscenturyofgeneticcommerceand howdowebegintoengagethisdauntingnewscienceinawaythatllbenefitourchildrenand createarenaissanceratherthangreatupheavalforfuturegenerations? Thankyou.

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